Relating to drying and condensing peat for fuel or other purposes.



UNTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERICH SPRINGBORN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM MERRITT GILLAM, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,619, dated January 8, 1901.

Application filed May 15, 1900. Eerial No. 16,824- (No specimens.)

To (all whontit imty concern:

Be it known that I, ERIOH SPRINGBoRN,analytioal chemist, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at 203 Burdett road, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Drying and Condensing Peat for Fuel or other Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process for drying peat for fuel or for other purposes, and has for us object to so dry such peat as to increase its density and produce a readily-combustible substance of high calorific power.

According to my invention I mix together about one hundred and twelve pounds of unslaked lime, about one hundred and twelve pounds of soot or powdered charred peat or similar carbonaceous substance in a finely-divided state, from one-quarter per cent. to two per cent. of sugar, and from one-quarter to one percent. of potassium nitrate. Thelime in the above mixture may be partly or wholly replaced by baryta. I add this mixture to from forty to eighty times its weight of peat, the proportion of the peat to the aforesaid mixture varying as the amount of moisture in the peat. Peat usually contains from fiftytwo per cent. to ninety-six per cent. of moisture. To the above specified quantity of the mixture there would therefore be added forty times its weight of peat containing sixty per cent. of moisture or eighty times its Weight of peat containing seventy-five per cent of moisture, peat containing intermediate quantities of moisture being treated with corresponding intermediate quantities of the mixture. The wet peat and the mixture are thoroughly kneaded and mixed togetheras intimately as possible and then formed intosuitable blocks and subjected to an approximately light and continuous pressure of from one-half pound to one pound per square inch for from two to four hours. The compressed blocks are then permitted to dry in drying-sheds usually for about fourteen days. Itis important that but a moderate and steady pressure be exerted on the blocks for the time stated. It the pressure exceeds the amount stated, the blocks cannot be subsequently dried while retaining a high specific gravity. The blocks thus obtained are almost free from moisture. They have a specific gravity of about 1.3, and consequently a high calorific power. These blocks are not liable to split when drying.

If the pressure on the peat is too heavy, the blocks obtained have not such a high specific gravity as the blocks made according to my invention. Moreover, such heavily-pressed blocks will expand shortly after being released from the heavy pressure.

The lime or its equivalent in the mixture combines with the water in the peat, While the soot or finely-divided carbon absorbs the oil of the said peat. The sugar,in combination with the potassium nitrate, dissolves part of the lime, strengthens the action of the lime on the peat-fiber, and preventsthe lime from combining with the soot, the lime and soot thus acting independently of each other and on the water and oil, respectively, and a thorough reaction being thus obtained.

In treating brown or light-brown peat which does not contain a large quantity of oils the quantity of sugar in the mixture may be greatly reduced.

What I claim is- 1. A process for drying and condensing peat which consists in intimately mixing the said peat with the oxid of an alkaline earth, finelydivided carbon, sugar and an alkali salt, subj ecting this mixture to a mo'der'ate'continuous and steady pressure, and then permitting it to dry, substantially as described.

2. A process for drying and condensing peat which consists in mixing together an oxid of an alkaline earth, finely-divided carbon, sugar and an alkali salt, then adding this mixture to the peat, then forming the total mixture into blocks and subjecting it to a moderate continuous and steady pressure, and then permitting the mixture to dry, substantially as described.

A process for drying and condensing peat which consists in mixing together, lime, soot, sugar and nitrate of potash, then adding this mixture to the peat, thensubjecting the total mixture to a moderate continuous and steady pressure, and then permitting the said mixture to dry, substantially as described.

4. Aprocessfordryingandcondensingpeat which consists in combining the moisture of the peat with a mixture of an oxid of an alkaline earth, an alkali salt and sugar, absorbing the oil of the peat With finely-divided carbon, then subjecting the tot-a1 mixture to a moderate, steady, and continuous pressure to drive away excess of moisture, and then permitting the mixture to d ry, substantially as described.

5. A process for drying and condensing peat which consists in addinga mixture of one hundred and twelve pounds of an oxid of an alkaline earth, one hundred and twelve pounds of finely-divided carbon, from one-quarter per cent. to two per cent. of sugar, and from onequarter per cent. to one per cent. of nitrate of potash, to from forty to eighty times its Weight of the moist peat, then subjecting the total mixture to a steady and continuous pressure 

